The hit movie 2012 will remind you that there will always be talk about ‘end-of-the-world’ events! While we arrive at end of times, what we must remember is that disaster may strike anytime and it can come in many forms and shapes. If we are not ready, it could well become the end of the road!
Turn it into a life-long project; so be ready to work out a plan of action.
Get family involved; it is so important that even the youngest and the oldest member knows the drill.
Be ready to move from learning to trialing; learning survival skills is an asset and can also be loads of fun.
Alert only indicates the major dynamic events.
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Knowledge | Plan | Tool | Skills | Experience | Readiness
So, when is a good time to start learning about how to survive disaster? Before the next one arrives and that could be NOW!
Also, remember, what you gain will never go waste and your new skills alone will come in handy in every-day life, making you more confident, resourceful and popular.
This is the time to get a note book and pen – treat this as an important family asset. In fact, get everyone to take down their own notes; familiarity and repetition are your best allies.
Here we go! Let’s start by understanding what disaster are!
DISASTER: A disaster is an event which may endanger your life and people around you. Disasters can be natural or man-made. They can be sudden and instant, lasting mere seconds or minutes. Or disasters may build up giving you vital seconds, minutes or hours to react.
Before we go on to tackling epic disasters, let’s take a look at some of the every-day disasters we must prepare for!
How fast you can assess a disaster and respond may just be what saves you! This is where this training will come to your rescue.
As you study different disasters, make notes and plans of how each disaster may affect you, depending on where you may be. 
Training your mind should mean that you no longer will panic during a disaster but will be led to quick decision-making and resourcefulness. 
By and by, you will have the vital tools you will need in the case of a disaster. You will also have a good Bug Out Bag!Organize Your Disaster Plan
Mind mapping: Learn this incredible art of planning almost anything in your life including disasters.
Survival Video
Pre-Assessment
Your knowledge and familiarity about various aspects of disasters make up the first aspect. This website will coach you to be disaster ready!
In-situation Assessment
Here’s what you do when you are in a disaster situation. Your preparation will be built into your intuition as you navigate your loved ones through life-threatening situations. Of course, keep in mind that actual assessment times may differ from disaster to disaster and situation to situation – sometimes it may call for lightning fast reactions from you.
Team Meets: Turn disaster preparedness into a family hobby; each important point you come across here, put into brainstorming and take important findings into your note book.
So, this section is all about general preparedness but do remember, to spend lots of time on the DISASTER BUTTONS!
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Now, let’s talk about SURVIVAL training!
The first thing that pops up in your mind would be Bear Grylls, the ultimate survival expert. But let’s first get through the urban jungle which most of you are from, before you put on wild tactics.
Again, precisely what you should do will depend on the disaster, but let’s assume you are facing a situation where you may need to make a run for it!
Assess immediately if you should get out of the city. The rule of the thumb is when in doubt, LEAVE. This is the point where things begin to look bleak but you are yet not too sure. You must leave at the first opportunity before the whole city decides to do same. You may have seen grid-locked cities during disasters and you wouldn’t want to be in the middle of chaos.Take a minute to think before you follow the crowds.This doesn’t mean you must go the opposite direction but do a quick assessment before you decide your best escape. You may even be better off if you didn’t run; bide your time and prep for urban survival. If you were to escape, this is where you put into action your pre-prepared maps and strategies.Be ready to change your plans and think on your feet. Disaster may well put the best-laid plans into nothing. But your knowledge and skills gained through years of preparation will give you the much-needed advantage you need to survive most situations as you will be able to improvise through dynamic situations and challenges.
Your plan must include everyone and everyone must have a plan. When disaster strikes, everyone may not be in the same place and this is when pre-designed instructions will ensure, everyone on the team is thinking the same. Plans A,B & C should be in place including possible meeting points.
Have well-drilled plans for children, especially if they are somewhere else like in school or out with friends. The worst may be, not knowing where they may be and what they might do! Based on possible scenarios, get them to write and draw their own plans. Rehearsing those plans will not only equip them but will also help you bond.
Remember, your escape route may not be motorable; so be ready to escape on foot. Another important survival tip is to understand different threats, especially from strangers. So it is good to build a bigger team – may be another family – the idea is to be strong in numbers while including few able-bodied men.
7. Do not attract unwanted attention! Dress like the crowd; carry bags like the crowd so your party will not stand out. Make sure everyone carries a Bug Out Bag that they can carry without difficulty, packed with vital things for survival even on their own including some cash. Teach your children social skills needed to survive.
Lead to success: Having a great leader and the ability to lead your own self if you have to are both important.
Now is the time, as you draw up your TEAM, to appoint a chain of command. When a team is well-drilled, including children, it helps leaders to navigate the team to safety through even the toughest challenges. At the same time, if you are bringing outsiders into your team, now is the time to consider their attitudes, strengths and weaknesses. In a worse-case scenario, the very survival of your family may depend on the unity and ability of your team. Last thing you’d want in a life and death situation is conflict resolution. So choose wisely and set up Do’s and Don’ts up front.
Train Kids to Lead!
When disaster strikes, your family may not be at the same place. So again, it is so important to plan for various situations and teach everyone how to lead themselves to safety until you may reach a pre-determined meeting point or without you.
Practice: Acting under pressure becomes easy when you have experience
This is one of the most important decisions you will hopefully not be called upon to make. But it pays to be ready! As we have been saying, some situations will develop gradually, leaving you confused whether to Bug Out or Not! Then again, some disasters will give you seconds to get out, if not minutes or hours!
Making that all-important decision can come with lots of pre-planning and rehearsing, considering a multitude of scenarios – this is when all that preparedness pays off!
Include
hand-cranking/
solar Radio Torch in
your Bug Out Bag
Your Escape: If you can’t invest in your own ‘getaway’ – identify a known accommodation
Now that you are reading this, the chances are you have a pretty good understanding of the subject. So, let’s talk about some of the dynamics of Bugging Out which we haven’t touched in our Urban Survival Section.
Order into action your Bug Out Protocol
You have been planning and practicing for this day. It’s the designated leader’s turn to lead with clarity, giving clear instructions. When everyone knows the drill and has considered all kind of options, there is little room for arguments and disagreements.
Assemble and run check-list
Gather the team and tools as applicable to the developing situation. How much time you will have here will depend on the unfolding disaster so be smart. If time permits run a check on all what you need and get organized. If you have time to carry only the Bug Out Bag, do so. And if there’s not a second to waste, get everyone out and run for your life!
Act calm but move fast
Pick the destination of choice and move on to your pre-determined route. We don’t even need to tell you that the developing disaster may upset all your plans and that means you will have to take it as it unfolds but still with a clear short-term and long-term destination in focus. What you must do may vary and you may have to spring into action to save your life.
Ready for diversions and camping out
If you run into delays, diversions and unexpected situations – remind yourself that while the ultimate destination is the goal, the real deal is to survive every minute, every hour and every day. Overnight dug outs must be planned few hours before dark. You may need ample time to build a shelter and secure.
Stay Tuned
Urban survival or on the run, if you reach your planned destination or not, find a way to be wired to official information. Solar-powered radio is a must have and find ways to work the grapevine.
Take it by the minute
You may have to shelve most of your plans as you step out. Be ready to dump your vehicle and move on foot. If your team includes kids and older people, your plan would already include shorter, more measured intervals, if you do it on foot.
Improvise and be street smart
Be ready to improvise; expect the unexpected. Be confident that your team is armed with the knowledge and resolve that a lot of others will not have. That will give you the edge. This is where learning to be a survivor will really come in handy.
Prep and rehearse this now
In your early prep plans, you’d have checked your destination of choice many times over – analyzing historical events, bridges, by-roads, areas prone to flooding, terrain – nothing can be taken for granted. Now when you are finally on your way, you are ready to take calculated decisions.
Find your new home
If getting to your ultimate destination proves a herculean task and you have tumbled upon a place which offers shelter, security and water – it’s time for a team meet! The most important aspect of the Survival School is to prep you to stay alive – and then make the most of your situation.
Assemble your new tools
In the face of a rapidly evolving disaster, you may have to run without some of the tools you have assembled and that means you have to improvise or locate the tools you need wherever and whenever the need arises. This is a subject of preparation and there are many of DIY videos on the web.
Expand your network
Along the way and if you have to settle for a new place of refuge or when you have reached your pre-planned destination, you will need to carefully screen strangers and expand your support network.
It’s fun planning these survival aspects. You may even want to turn your next vacation into a rehearsal of survival. Do plan, learn and perfect all aspects where possible.
Whether in prepping or in real-situations, be mindful of safety and take all precautions.
Assign task and supervise
Practice protocols learnt on securing drinking water and source of power/fire among other list of essential tasks. You would do well to assign tasks to everyone capable on the team and coordinate overall survivability.
LEARN SELF-DEFENSE
Disaster prep or not, learning self-defense techniques is an investment for life.
Set up your overnight bug out spot
Examine your camping/overnight lodging options and surroundings for safety and set up a sound surveillance including taking watch in turns.
Plan your defense and escape
Bring your refuge up to acceptable levels as situation permit and discuss a plan on how to defend yourself and also a plan of escape whenever you must.
Keep everyone fit and ready
It is a key aspect to keep people healthy and fit – pay attention to room temperature, insect repellent, cleanliness and unexpected threats. Pre-plan this task-list and train the most ideal person in your group now to coordinate it.
Manage essential supplies
Use food and other essentials in your Bug Out Bags sparingly and as per plan while planning to forage for food as you have learnt. You may have to run again so keeping the essentials in stock is quite important.
Watch out for enemies and traitors
When secure, have team meets to ensure everyone is in compliance and be watchful as to no one turns on you – the basic instinct of survival could well be self-preservation, especially if your team includes anyone other than family you trust.
Keep moral up
Keep morale up and this you do with your own positive outlook, keeping cool under pressure. This is a crucial aspect in picking a leader – someone who is smart, resourceful, thoughtful and cool. Don’t forget to encourage some form of entertainment especially when you have camped and as considered safe.
Now that you are reading this, the chances are you have a pretty good understanding of the subject. So, let’s talk about some of the dynamics of Bugging Out which we haven’t touched in our Urban Survival Section.
Now that we have talked about Bugging Out, what do you say we talk about Bugging In, too! Whichever you decide, both actions do protect you from disasters, require supplies of food and water and need plenty of planning and preparation. So how do you decide which option is your best bet?
Weigh the Pros and Cons While Bugging in needs more supplies, you won’t have to carry any of them – Bugging Out requires a lighter load which makes it easier to move.
With Bugging In, your shelter is your home but you can’t put more distance between yourself and the threat or danger in the area.
With Bugging Out, you have to either carry your shelter or find one, but you are able to quickly move away from danger.
Are the Odds in Your Favour? How mobile are you? If you or a family member have a disability that will prevent bugging out, consider staying in. Trying to do otherwise will turn into a time-consuming and frustrating experience. Same works if you’re pregnant or have really small kids.
Do you have the means to defend your home? Consider fortifications against riots and home invasions.
Where are you located? A rural or remote area is already off the grid and you should be used to being self-sufficient.
Can Plans Change? Yes! Even if you have decided to Bug In, you will have to make a call if there is excessive rioting or looting in the area, if stocks aren’t getting restocked, or if emergency medical services are getting overwhelmed.
04. Scenarios The reason to Bug In is not limited to but can involve the following instances – Economic Collapse & Civil Unrest, Viral Outbreaks, Chemical, Biological & Nuclear attacks. Natural Disasters are also situations that need to be evaluated.Survival Video
Video: Learn how to harvest water
Water is our savior in most situations and learning how to find it can well save your life.
Bugging-In
Guide
Once you have made that all-important decision to stay put, which of course, may mostly be the best decision due to the following reasons, you are in-charge of your own lockdown scenario – depending on the disaster.
Advantage of Bugging-In
You already have your own secure shelter
You should have a ready supply of essentials
You know your locality well
You have to take fewer risks involved in bugging-out
Turn your house into a refuge. Even in best of times, here’s what a house should have in its armory.
You can be creative with your list and the use of the tools.
There are things you can survive without but your decision to Bug-In or Get Away will depend on the general availability of this list.
A key ingredient for quick decision-making is having reliable information. Develop contacts at ground level and at official levels – as you have heard networking is the key. At the same time, expect power failures and communication breakdowns during grave disasters.
Again, making that decision is the most important thing you do. You may be better off if you didn’t run; bide your time and prep for urban survival.
Pre-plan different action plans for different contingencies. Do visit our Disaster Buttons and base your pre-planning on the information available there. Get set to go into action with the right plan.
If it’s a flood, you should have a pretty good idea about worse-case scenario before you decide to stay put. Pick a room in a higher elevation as your ultimate bug-in with the entire family.
If there could be outside human or animal threats, prepare in advance so you can board up the windows and doors against intruders, as well as, external damage.
Be sure to have hide-outs and escape plans and routes in case you have to make a run for it at short notice.
Store your emergency supplies in a secure place and start the pre-planned controls based on time schedules as seen appropriate for the on-going disaster.
Some disasters may come without warning and you should be planning for those. Ensure appropriate disaster management plan is in action and everyone knows their part.
You bug-in when you know there is a good supply or storage of drinking water. If needed, fill up clean water resources.
Swing into action your pre-learned and practiced ‘toilet’ plan when you cannot afford to flush down water. There are plenty of things you can search for on the internet yourself and discuss with your family as part of prepping up for any eventuality.
Put into action your security plan and make sure, you don’t become a one-man defender of your family because fatigue can make you helpless when most needed. So take turns while the situation permits.
Children can be very versatile and helpful; so prep them for this day and empower them while, of course, ensuring their safety first.
Establish your communication channels as pre-planned or as to the evolving situation.
Food security: Learning to better manage your food-stocks leads to better preparedness
Be Ready: Stock your house with the essentials as you build your survival plans. They key here is to be disciplined and organized. One area which requires special attention is Emergency Food Pantry. Get your family to discuss this and prepare a list of dry rations and other food stuff which would take you through 2-4 weeks. Make an inventory with quantities and expiry dates, building a cycle for replenishing. The idea is to replace items within a certain period from expiry and use them. If you do this carefully, you will not spend extra; there will be no wastage and you will be READY! This kind of careful planning will also prevent the rush for hoarding which upsets the supply chain during emergencies. You may also want this Emergency Food Stock to be in a large plastic container or two, so that you might be able to load it into your escape vehicle, if your choice is to run!
We live in times where we have seen just how quickly our food supply chain can be disrupted. How would you like to grow your own fruit and vegetables? While it can also be a gratifying hobby and protect the health of your family, someday, it might come to your rescue as well.
Good Health: Growing your own food leads to good health and crisis preparedness
The best option in disaster preparedness is to expect the unexpected – always! From electromagnetic flares to cyber attacks, terrorist attacks to natural disasters can, though very unlikely, cause indefinite grid failures. However, remote it may be, it’s good to be ready.
• Supply chain failures resulting in food scarcities
• ATM/ Bank system failures • Unchecked situations could lead to lawlessness. • Medical and other essential service failures like fuel and water. • In extreme events, public utilities can’t be expected to run indefinitely with generators.
While governments ensure every conceivable mitigation efforts, no one can rule out the unexpected.
Here’s what you can do:
Don’t depend entirely on your refrigerated supplies; have a stock of dry rations and if you manage your food storage smartly, it may not only help you in a tight situation but will also keep you away from sudden hoarding.
Have a back-up plan which lets you cook outdoors and earmark firewood sources.
If you have a generator, think of small fuel storage, if possible but taking all safety precautions. You may lose fuel to evaporation over time.
Solar powered torches, radios and lights may not be too expensive to have.
Solar powered torches, radios and lights may not be too expensive to have.
Survival Video
Video: How to light a fire
Learning to light a fire from natural resources is a vital asset.
From all what you read, make notes of what you believe would be essential. You might even want it to be a pocket guide which can be a family exercise. That will also ensure everyone in your family has a pretty good idea about what to do in different emergencies. Survival techniques are fun to learn and important. It can actually be a family fun activity during the holidays.
Disasters qualify to be in the category of a rainy day! Even if you had money, you may not be able to reach an ATM or a bank; or you simply may not have time for that. Even if you could reach an ATM, you may not have funds. So you see, it pays to start a family fund and build it – of course not expecting disasters but just in case.
It is horrible to see how many people drown especially considering that we are an island. That simply means, islanders must be able to swim. If you don’t consider as a priority and when it comes to water, there need not be a tsunami or floods but you may need your swimming skills on the beach or on a river picnic.
Once again, knowing how to administer first-aid, including CPR can save lives even in life’s minor emergencies. While it is an asset to know these things, you must also be cautious not to be over-confident, and that also goes with prescribing your own medicine for various illnesses during a non-disaster. Be sure to have a first-aid box around the house.
Bug Out Bag (BOG) is a popular concept in some parts of the world. It simply means that you are ready to run in a flash and you have a carry bag ready in a convenient spot that will help you survive, from a few days to a few weeks based on the size and contents of the bag. Perishable items in the bag may need to be replenished time to time.
Watch this video and you’ll not only admire the amazing skills of a Bushmaster but will learn some incredible skills.